Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of irrigation monitoring systems. More specifically, the present invention monitors electric power data obtained from a power sensor of a variable-speed drive assembly, and compares this data against historical electric power data to detect anomalies for the purposes of diagnosing and predicting pending functionality complications of the variable-speed drive assemblies. Detection of such anomalies can be used to trigger real-time status notifications to the irrigation system operator to help prevent failures that might result in costly downtime.
Statement of the Problem
The present invention involves an irrigation system having a series of irrigator spans having conduits for conveying an applicant such as water. The present invention can be used in conjunction with various types of irrigation systems including linear and lateral move irrigation systems. However, the primary type of irrigation system used for this purpose is known as a center pivot irrigation system. Such systems include a center pivot tower about which the entire irrigation system rotates. The center pivot tower may be connected to the water source for supplying water to the irrigation system. The irrigation system may further include a series of irrigator spans having conduits for conveying the water. Each irrigator span may be connected to the adjacent irrigator span in an end-to-end manner at a joint that may include an external ball and socket connection, an external gimbal ring assembly, an external tongue and pin assembly, or an internal hook and eye assembly. A flexible coupling may be used to connect the conduits of adjoining irrigator spans such that each conduit may be in fluid communication with the next. The conduit of the irrigator span positioned adjacent to the center pivot tower may be connected to the center pivot tower and the water source. Water may be pumped from the water source through the center pivot tower and to the conduits of each irrigator span and may be applied to the field through discharge nozzles mounted to the conduits. The irrigation system may include a plurality of irrigator spans, typically 100 feet to 200 feet in length, capable of reaching a few acres or hundreds of acres of the field. The irrigator spans may each be supported by a corresponding wheel tower structure and may be moved about the center pivot tower by a variable-speed drive assembly of a corresponding wheel tower structure. The variable-speed drive assembly is typically comprised of drivetrain components such as variable-speed drive controllers, electric motors, wheel gearboxes, wheels, and optional power sensors, location sensors, memory, processors and wireless data communication devices for moving the irrigator span radially about the center pivot tower.
The prior art in this field includes irrigator span alignment systems that may use sensors to detect degrees of misalignment between adjacent irrigator spans and, in turn, may signal variable-speed drive controllers to vary electric motor speeds in order to maintain alignment of corresponding irrigator spans.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,755,362 (Krieger et al.) and U.S. Pat. No. 8,948,979 (Malsam) disclose an irrigation system, such as a center pivot irrigation system, that includes a variable-speed drive controller for varying the speed of an electric motor of a wheel tower structure of an irrigator span to maintain alignment of a plurality of irrigator spans moving about the center pivot tower.
As a result of continuous operation at a wide range of irrigation system speeds in unfavorable environments that may include muddy fields, varying terrains and high temperatures, center pivot irrigation systems, and more specifically the drivetrain components of a variable-speed drive assembly of a wheel tower structure of an irrigator span, may often encounter a multitude of technical and operational complications such as underinflated wheel tires, malfunctioning variable-speed drive controllers, defective electric motors, inoperative wheel gearboxes, and wheels slipping and getting stuck in the mud at recurring locations in the field. These complications, however, may often times be mitigated and continuous operation maintained if detected in advance of catastrophic failure.
Solution to the Problem
The present invention incorporates position-based predictive analytics into variable-speed drive assemblies of irrigation systems for the purpose of analyzing electric power data that may then be used to determine if there are operational anomalies present in the variable-speed drive assemblies.